Philips’ public-private partnership COMBINE-CT consortium has received a $6.5-million-euro grant ($7 million U.S.) from the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI).
The consortium will use the grant to investigate the use of CT to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Europe, according to the firm.
The goals of COMBINE-CT include increasing the use of coronary computed tomography angiography; opening data silos between hospital departments involved in the care of CAD patients; and simplifying and improving workflow for physicians, nurses, and technologists. It includes Philips, the Université Lyon 1 Claude Bernard and its affiliate entity Hospices Civils De Lyon, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Amsterdam UMC location AMC, University Clinic Cologne, Medical Research Infrastructure Development and Health Services Fund by the Sheba Medical Center, Cardiologie Centra Nederland, Novo Nordisk, Consorcio Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red M.P. & EUPATI Foundation, according to the company.
The IHI is a partnership between the European Union and industry associations, among them the European Trade Association group COCIR (medical imaging, radiotherapy, health ICT, and electromedical industries) and MedTech Europe.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=100&q=70&w=100)
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
